Toddlers Should Toddle Instead of Watching TV

To help prevent a child from developing attention deficit disorder, keep children under 2 years old away from the TV.

Researchers at Children’s Hospital and Regional Center in Seattle found that for each hour of TV watched each day between the ages of 1 and 3, the risk of attention problems at age 7 increases by nearly 10%.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common mental disorders among children. It affects between 4% and 12% of children, and boys are more likely than girls to develop the disorder.

TV is not the sole culprit, say researchers. They say that genetics and even neglectful or distracted parents may play a part in whether a child develops ADHD. However, they also propose that TV may be partly to blame because it rewires children’s brains. Experts say that TV images and sequences of events move much more quickly than real life. If a child is exposed to this rapid experience of time, they might develop and attention deficit disorder.

To promote health, The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends:

No TVs, DVD players, VCRs and video games should be allowed in children’s rooms.

Allow no more than one to two hours of TV a day for older children and no screen time for those under 2.

Make sure children engage in other activities such as reading, sports, or creative play.